Hi ED. What a very sad loss your news site will be for Phuket and indeed the hundreds of people around the world, that read your news. The other news sites are not known for speed or up to the minute reporting. The other site is just government bleached non interrest stories.
However what ever your future holds, I wish for your good fortune. Before you go, I will enjoy your news. Thank you and your staff Ed.

Real journalism seems to be a dying trade. All we get is generic news piped in from agencies and 'celebrity' stories that are obviously written by publicists. Investigative journalism is dead. Andrew Drummond tries to get real life investigative stories out but look at the thanks he gets. Run out of the country with ridiculous legal cases and now his website is blocked. Thailand is probably headed for more political strife and the economy is tanking. Good time to just go relax and forget about all Phuket's BS.

Dear Chutima, dear Editor,
I deeply hope you will bring us more Phuket-news from whereever you may go - who else would?
Always enjoyed my daily visits to phuketwan!
All the best for you and your staff!

A sad news for us readers who have grown fond of your truly great journalism. Thanks to you truth, information gaps and great stories have been covered in a interesting and brave way. The best of wishes to you both to your future and what ever you will parttake. I agree with others, real journalism is a vanishing kind. Thank you, eye-openers and quality producers. I will miss you.

The best part is, that you stayed on for the ridiculous trial. Thanks to the navy we could read you even longer.
So,where is the white knight, the Jeff Bezos of Phuket expats willing to let Ed and his great people run longer?

There are kind and generous people on Phuket but we've yet to encounter any rich philanthropists here, Lena. It's something about the place.

Sad to read but not surprising. Unlike other news sources you do tell it like it is and although I don't always agree with your editorial stance at least you have the balls to say what you think, and not as an anonymity either, unlike most of your respondents. Of course this can act to your detriment, as recently widely publicised.

Media are struggling as businesses all around the world,and even big media outlets are still searching for profitable business model.There is often backing of some wealthy individuals who covers the operational loss. There are some other models like of The Guardian where the media outlet is backed by independent fund , but The Guardian model is quite unique.
Of course, one can't expect that PW will be operated in loss, continuously tapping into owners personal savings - and especially when advertisement flow dried after criminal charges have been laid.

PW is widely acknowledged, even by its nemesis, as the bets source of local news - news arrives as they happen, the focus is rather wide - especially in comparison with competing outlets.

As much as we like reading PW, it should not happen in mis-balanced way on account of expense incurred by owners.

There is a potential option of releasing iOS/Android simple app with just a so called WebView - actually mimicking the website,and without any extra functionality, that may provide convenient channel for a loyal readers to pay, say, 100-200THB monthly fee - few hundreds already would cover some part of PW publishing expenses.

Potential buyers surely exist, and probably should be approached - both national English-language outlets, local outlets, other businesses related to media, that operate in Thailand. The team itself is a valuable asset.

Probably, financial aspects are not the only major factor. Phuket becoming increasingly more crowded, and eventually less value for money - and the trend apparently will continue in foreseeable future.

It's notable that future plans of PW owners are linked to the issue that brought so many problems on them, that they will continue to cover boatpeople story.

We surely wish them good fortune and to enjoy their new life!
And the same for the rest of the team.

Thanks, Sue. Good of you to come along and wish us well during the trial, too.

Surprising news but not disappointing given that Khun Morison and Khun Chutima "intend to continue to cover the boat people saga and corruption in Thailand, but for broader audiences." It is to their credit that their ill-conceived prosecution did not deter them their quest to highlight and arrest the persecution of the Rohingya and the exposure of corruption. Good Luck for the future and let's hope that a buyer as committed to independent reporting can be found.

Ed, the news is fine but your comments on comments is not your best attribute. Will you be carrying on based in Thailand or elsewhere. I think it was very brave of you to come back as in Australia I guess they could not have deported you, or was there some large bail etc?

My comment in this case, I am pretty far from ok, is to say the facts surrounding my return are all clearly recorded on PW and other news sites. Bravery had nothing to do with it, nor did the size of the bail. We did what we did because we knew we were doing the right thing.
Anonymous commenters quite often go unchallenged and i fail to see why that should be so. Many of them are highly opinionated yet unable to support their opinions with facts. Forgive me for trying to keep them honest.
I should point out, I am pretty far from ok, that this email address is not your usual email address.

Thank you for your compliments Arun Murugu. Though I was harassed by those people bringing court cases I actually left because of an immediate and real threat which would certainly have put my young children at risk. Like Alan I had been planning to leave but decided to stay to see a couple of crooks off through the courts. In the end I did not have the time. Now however everything is coming full circle and I am still active on the net and read in Thailand by people thru a VPN or Facebook. My very best wishes to Alan and Chutima who have been great allies.

Andrew Drummond remains irreplaceable and it defies belief that someone who has done so much to clear expat rogues, villains and rip-off merchants from Thailand should be forced to leave.

Hi Andrew Drummond, I also read your pages every day from Thailand, blocked by my wee tail end. Your articles inspire us all, that investigative journalism is not dead and that yourself, Alan and Chutima are keeping it alive. Thank you all three of you.

Thank you Alan & Chutima & all PW reporters. I have been following PW for a few years now and have been greatly appreciative of the news reported as it is. You all have bought the Rohingya trafficking to the attention of more people than maybe you original thought possible.

On a more personal front thank you for the compassionate reporting on the murder of Michelle Smith (family friend) and more recent investigative reporting that proved the truth about the self-defence incident in front of a certain night club.

Hi Alan and Oi it is a very sad day to hear you are leaving. The work you and your staff have giving has been in many cases an eye opener. Who will do it now? and who will speak the truth. I totally understand why it must be sole destroying. I still look at your site most weeks, and enjoy your reads. Even tho phuket has very bad memories for me. But I enjoyed meeting you both and hopefully help a bit with the helmet law. Just very sad to see it has took a back seat again over the years.So Alan and Oi I do wish you both an a most exciting time in what ever you are doing next, and let us all know what's happening. You never know the old Alan might just come out again. Monica and Shane

I agree with I'm Pretty Far From OK. "The news is fine, but your comments on comments is not your best attribute." Your comments sound cranky and ill-tempered, snapping at readers who post their comments I think this 'tireless reporter' has wisely chosen to 'move on.' Somebody needs a nap.

One of your recent unpublishable (until now) comments goes like this:
@Ed
I really don't see what 'value' Richard Vickers comment has. Nothing to say? Shocking. You must be taking a nap.

Now you are suggesting that I need a nap.

The problem with my responses, Paradise, is that they are refined and conditioned by dealing repeatedly with trolls or ignorance or petty point-scorers. The problem is not me, Paradise, it's you.

That's rather rich of old Sam Wilko, who in his dotage appears to have forgotten that his career rests on his tried, tested and tired formula of reviewing (taking as many members of his family as he can) and pieces about Zumba. Biting the hand that feeds, old chap..

Dear Alan, back when I used to own a bar in Rawai I remember discussing your articles with my customers. Some hated you, others thought you were brilliant. Whichever way you cut it, your name was always talked about. Back then I used to write in to Puketwan under silly anonymous names with snarky comments until after another American expat convinced me to write in using my real name. Since those days' I've come to admire and agree with a lot of what you were going on about. I guess you can say I've come full circle. So for what's it's worth, I wish you good luck buddy.

Thanks for your thoughts, Donald.
Plenty of deadbeats, doomsayers and do-nothings on Phuket.

I have no expectations of your publishing this, I apologize for the length.

I hope it goes without saying that I have appreciated and benefited from the existence and efforts of all those who put together Phuketwan. I will miss the information and knowledge gained from this site.

Unfortunately with that bargain came some unintended baggage. Primarily this is the crass opinions, bigotry, generalizations and wild speculations of many of the commenters. As a bonus it usually consists of their ''valued'' insight gained looking at pictures on line, without any other evidence than that created in their minds own peregrinations.

Very few of these seem to have given any thought to the forum, readership or community. Instead their primary focus seems to have been to spout their spurious opinions and feed their own egos. To wit: They scream about their rights to free speech.

They pontificate about the value of their wild speculations and how by doing so they are doing some service to society.

When they are wrong, as they often are, they do not retract their earlier opinions or apologize. Nor do they often bother to consider the collateral damage their ill-informed thoughts may have on others.

As to their rights, they have none. Their is no freedom of speech in Thailand and there are numerous cases completed and pending to prove this. Further, no newspaper, on line or otherwise is required to publish any content due to anyone's rights.

There is no obligation, no law, no need and in fact most don't. See the opinion pages. This right you claim does not exist. Freedom of speech in any society does not give you the right to accuse without evidence, wildly speculate in a defaming manner, libelously accuse others or hurt innocent people with your speculation.

No human has that right, not anywhere in the world. In fact in most modern society this is not only not your right but your expression is a violation of the rights of others. Yes, you have the right to your opinion but simply put you do not have the right to harm people with your thoughts, that is not a human right, that is a bad human.

Phuketwan is a news blog that happens to have an open comment section. Even the editor has admitted this was a mistake. He has the right, as the sites owner, to publish what he sees fit, to pick and choose what he prints and (in my opinion only) he has been far too liberal in giving a voice to a great many ill-informed trolls.

To those who think they are providing the ''society'' with value and truth through their comments and their (assumed) right to be heard. You are not. The number of threads over the years that have been filled with bile and ignorant rants by these rightists is uncountable.

The latest ridiculousness is several posters who from their keyboards have picked an argument with a victim of an accident based on their presumed ability to know more about what happened in the accident from looking at on line pictures than the victim knew by being involved.

You think you know more than anyone else? You think your opinion is more correct than an eyewitness/participant? You are convinced no other outcome is possible? Then reflect on this:

''This is the concentration camp and crematorium at Auschwitz. This is where people were turned into numbers. Into this pond were flushed the ashes of some four million people. And that was not done by gas. It was done by arrogance. It was done by dogma. It was done by ignorance. When people believe that they have absolute knowledge, with no test in reality, this is how they behave.''

- Jacob Bronowski, The Ascent of Man

When Phuketwan first started I truly saw an opportunity, here was a place where honesty and good sense could prevail. Here is somewhere where the community of Phuket could come together, resolve differences, encourage dialog and make the island a better place. Despite what I believe are the best efforts of the editor and staff, despite some well thought out discussions that is not what happened. What did happen is the comments were taken over by bigots, close-minded egotists, shameful speculators and illogical judgmental fools. What did happen was the development of a breeding ground for arrogance, dogma and ignorance. To that end, while I will greatly miss Phuketwan, the few commenters who added value and the stellar work done by the people here I will not miss being subjected to the know-it-alls, the bigots and the trolls.

I still feel that the foreign community in Phuket can work together to make Phuket a better place, I feel like Phuketwan helped make Phuket a better place but sadly I feel that without Phuketwan's open comment section we will all be better off.

Thanks, Martin. I've had to put up with more foolishness and hate from anonymous commenters posing as human beings than anyone on Phuket, but my persecution becomes insignificant when a tragedy is involved, as in the case of the recent fatal motorcycle crash.

It's not just Phuketwan but a symptom evident across the Internet. As PW is ceasing publication, let's call it the Thai Visa paradigm: the ability to express an opinion without taking responsibility dulls compassion, reduces perceptions of reality and eventually replaces all normal human feelings with arrogance and conceit.

The saddest part about Phuketwan has been that our belief in freedom of expression and our efforts to create a forum capable of producing insights and informed opinions has tapped a well-spring of ignorance and self-deception.

There have been some great comments from (mostly) real people who understand their responsibilities but I'm sorry to say the misuse of opportunity appears to be another sign that Phuket has attracted more than its share of selfish, thoughtless individuals.

We don't publish lies, sid. You don't know how to spout anything else.

@ED. 'Phuket has attracted more than its share of selfish, thoughtless individuals' No. Surely you mean Phuketwan. Like Martin I too shall miss the information and occasional wit in your columns, which I still read but ceased adding my own comments some time ago because the space was in the main taken by those thoughtless individuals whose main aim was character assassination especially against yourself and a few commenters. Although I no longer live on Phuket I still have many friends there and keep in touch with the general news through Phuketwan. Yes, you will be missed by myself and many others and I wish you good fortune in your next venture or your retirement.
A merry Christmas to all of you and an especially fruitful New Year.

Thanks, Pete.
The Troll in Chief is out crowing today so her barnyard of brainless aliases is laying - rotten eggs from a rotten mind, as usual.

"the Thai Visa paradigm: the ability to express an opinion without taking responsibility dulls compassion, reduces perceptions of reality and eventually replaces all normal human feelings with arrogance and conceit." Fantastic stuff and well put.

I think it's one of the many corollary's of Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon theory which is roughly - that people behave more civilly when they believe they are being observed. What is sad about accepting these ideas as truth is that it douses a lot of hope. The truth of the TV Paradigm, the usefulness of the Panopticon are just further proof of why organized religion, powerful governments and faddish behavior continue to have a need in modern society. Yep, I just said that organized religion exists to control the trolls in the world.

Thank you Lena. I have appreciated many of your posts as well. Of course you are correct and I was remiss. Many of the editor's comments have brightened my day. Particularly the recent ones suggesting the proper usage of bears.

Ed, you are victimize yourself which is a weakness and can be described as a pure feminist way when they always turn into victims to have their say. Your answers are in many cases very intimidated and full of judgemental bull as Martin are so keen to agree with. Martin and you are sitting on high horses in this matter (what is hate and what is not) and it has been really fun and interesting to me to read how you put down some of the commentators. I will miss that and understand how you have had your clash with the Thais.

MARTIN, do not read comments. You just get headache and play the true humanist.

Phuketwan has been a good source of information even if some stories been a too long serial with really no new inputs accept a few names. For example the beachchairs,jet-skies and tuk-tuks.

I have never had any clash with ''the Thais.'' Thais also see the need for change. But no bigot will never comprehend a world without ''us'' and ''them.'' There isn't much that you do understand, A Joe.

ED. I do respect you and your work, indeed. Maybe I am damage from the western media and then mainly from the European ones and their absolutely stupid reporters with an agenda. I have not seen so much of that in PW which have been a realief
A proof to contradict my theory come from statements with allegations from you that I am putting "groups" against each others such PW against Thais. That is a typical accusation in western media against what you call bigots. In my opinion as a non reporter with non agenda for example freedom or press I would simply have sad sorry to Thailand and kept running my paper. But that is only me.

Every society is made up of individuals so to apply the word ''Thai'' to particular attitudes is foolish. Thais are as varied in attitude and approach on most issues as, say, Scandinavians are.

Ed, you are a smart guy and as I say I respect your work mostly because your straight forward opinions (yours) against thai people in leading positions and the opinions they have. You have to agree that you done that. Look at your fan Andrew Drummond. Well, you put yourself in a similar position. And then you get down on me telling you.
It is obvious that you lost in a way, is it not. If not ....why do you not run your appreciated paper???????????????

Great job guys.Time to enjoy the next segment of life with yourself and with family and friends, Enjoy the ride - and again thanks for for frank, unbiased and at times biased reports. You will be missed...!

Thanks for all of your efforts. This has always been my first port of call when i want to see what's happening on the Island. I will miss it. I wish you good wishes and good health in the future and a very happy 2016.

Hi Alan.
Just reading through old articles as I'm missing PW and you guys already. You know old habits die hard, as i keep coming back for the latest news!!.
Are you and Chutima leaving the country, due to not being given visas due to the Navy story, Im just reading between the lines here?
I as i said before wish you all well and I hope you keep your mailing list, to let us know what you do in the future including your book.
Have a Wonderful relaxing year going forward.
Fond Regards
Gregg and Withan

Hello guys, We are taking what's called ''a holiday.'' Khun Chutima is also joining a Unesco summit in Paris on the safety of journalists. Thanks for the good idea about the mailing list and your kind thoughts.

It's a valueless first and final post by an anonymous contributor who takes no responsility for anything he (or she) says, sid. Just like your vapid, worthless opinion.

As my former colleague Rohan Connolly notes on Facebook:

Have to say social media has begun to take a real toll on me. Have got used to fighting Twitter wars over past few years and made more liberal use of the block and mute buttons recently, but christ it's draining not being able to post the most benign thing without some idiot just spouting random abuse. As for this place, well, until about 6 months ago was keeping Facebook strictly for people I actually know. I decided to accept more friend requests as numbers show this forum is more effective than Twitter for sharing links etc. But again, even here it's getting too much. If you want a good example of the sort of crap people in the media can cop, head on to the SEN Facebook page, in which every second post is about someone being a "flog", "tool" etc. I don't mind having a go back, but in the end it's time consuming, and time spent being unnecessarily annoyed and angry. So guess this is a long-winded way of saying, I'm about to implement a "no tolerance" policy. Broadly speaking, if you disagree with something I've written, said or post, go right ahead and have your say. But I'm not dealing anymore with needless abuse or even people just deliberately trying to poke the bear. Apologies for the sermon, but life's too short to spend it dealing with a handful of dickheads all the time.

Life's too short, sid, to spend it dealing with a handful of dickheads all the time. And you are just one of many.

Thai Visa has just pulled down two threads totalling more than 1200 posts that included damaging or defamatory comments from FBlue72, Old Croc, hansgruber, garryjohns, FritsSikkink, oilinki and Singerman. These ignorant and abusive posters deserve to be banished from TV or sued by me. What did you say your real name was, sid?

As star footballer Craig Foster says: The problem is a lack of accountability. Whereas in public life, and certainly in real life interaction we are accountable for our words and threats, in social media there appears none.

I am coming for you, sid.

What's sad is that sites like cretin central are able to monetize themselves due to their willingness to take any advertiser regardless of merit, allow any foolishness, etc. I have long hoped that this site would either be subscription based or donation based. I for one would gladly pay $50 a year for the information and insight you provide. As an example I contribute yearly to Drummond's work because voices like this are needed.

Your second response here is spot on. I really do believe that a great many of the world's social ills are based on a lack of accountability. This is not limited to just online commenters and posters but carries over throughout modern society. As long as people like Totto and Sid don't have to own any of their bilge by facing their peers or victims, as long as they fail to hold themselves accountable they will continue to spout such rot. If they had to face a room full of people with intelligence they would be much quieter as I am quite sure they are in real life. I doubt that they have ever done anything of any value to any community in their entire existence. It's a pity, I certainly don't see much evidence that the world is just and these people remain proof that karma and their own conscience are bad regulators.

Really glad you are still occasionally commenting here, also glad you continue to tilt at windmills, there are few La Mancha's left (not even many Pancho Sanza's for that matter). I do hope you keep it up and really look forward to your next project. Have a great 2016.

Thanks Martin.
The lack of accountability of commenters was always one of the underlying themes of Phuketwan. When evil big-noters go to another site and load up on hate, ignored by the so-called ''mods'' and dripping vindictive spite at every opportunity, that's when i get annoyed. Perhaps it's time we corralled these creeps.

Howdy Alan,
It is nice that the occasional new comment is still being posted to help get over our additions.
In regards to the TV topics, as I had more time since Jan 1, it gave me the opportunity to read some of the numerous pages of comments before they were removed. While there were those who had it in for you, there were certainly more who either fully supported or were neutral in their posts. The "haters" were often called out as just having a "dummyspit" based on some editors comment against them.
I believe most people could see the real intent of the few negative posters and most took no notice.

Now sid and Totto are a concern and for Totto moreso, as sid will no longer give anyone a toss. I can only suggest they get together, preferable behind closed doors, where they could continue their common thoughts and debate, en masse.

Some of the commments, allowed to be published despite TV's rules, were clearly damaging and defamatory, MoW. I did not ask for the threads to be removed. As you say, there were positive comments. I asked for an apology, and for the members who posted the damaging and defamatory comments to be banned, as the forum's rules already specify. The management has a clear choice in how it wishes the organisation to be perceived.

(moderated)

P.S. No need to go trolling through your email address book looking for my previous comments, and this is not my first comment! Just the first on this fake email, like many others.

To paraphrase TS Eliot Great to see that case go ... "This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.", good to hear it is finally behind you and thanks for posting an update. Wish everyone at PW a great future and hope you will keep us informed of your activities.